Work-bench.



v F. S. LATHROP.

WORK BENCH.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1912.

1,06 3,046. Patented May 27, 1913.

2 anus-sum 1.

- Suva/whom We 711(5. latlzm o I arm/" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK S. LATHE-OP, 0F PARK RAPIDS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM WIEDIGER, 0F PARK RAPIDS, MINNESOTA.

WORK-BENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 27, 1913.

Application filed April 24, 1312. Serial No. 692,862.

To aZZ'wh-Om it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK S. LATHROP, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Park Rapids, in the county of Hubbard and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Work- Benches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to work benches and has for its object the provision of a bench which may be readily folded into a compact form for transportation and which may be as readily set up for use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a work bench of a collapsible character which when set up for use will firmly support the working parts and in which the w.orkholding members will to a moderate extent fold or unfold automatically.

A further object of the invention is to provide a work bench which when not in use will house the working parts so that they may be transported from point to point without liability of injury.

The invention seeks finally to improve the construction and arrangement of parts of a work bench whereby the bench will prove more durable than those hereto-fore provided without materially increasing the cost of production, and the invention consists in certain novel features which willbe herein after first. fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which fully illustrate my'inve'ntion: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bench arranged for transportation; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bench set up for use; Fig. 8 is a central longitudinal section of the bench showing it inits collapsed condition in full lines and indicating the relative positions of the several parts when set up for use by dotted lines; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the work-holding jaws showing the same equipped with plates adapted particularly for use in sharpening saws.

In carrying out my invention,'I employ a box or case 1 which may be of any preferred form but is preferably rectangular of greater length than width as this form is usually found most convenient. This box is provided with a closed bottom as shown and is equipped with a cover 2 connected to one longitudinal wall of the box by. hinges 3 whereby the cover may be swung over the top of the box to close the same or may be swung down behind the same as shown in Fig. 2 to permit the use of the bench. To the longitudinal or side walls of the box, near the ends thereof, I pivotally secure the plates 4 which are preferably of the triangular form shown, two of the edges of the plates meeting at a right angle whereby when the bench is not in use the shorter edges of the plates will be in alinement with the corner edges of the box as clearly shown in Fig. 1, but when the plates are swung upon their pivots to the operative position as shown in Fig. 2 the longer edge of the right angle will be in alinement with the corner edge of the box. The plates. are rigidly secured to and practically form extensions of the sides of supportingvlegs 5 which are connected in pairs by cross bars 6 as clearly shown, the legs being so proportioned that when the bench is not in use they may be folded up against the bottom of the box as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and in this position will be entirely within the lines of the box. When the bench is to be set up for use the legs are swung down to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the upper cross bar 6 will bear. squarely against the bottom of the case so as to firmly support the same while it is in use. To facilitate the adjustment of the legs and to prevent collapse of the same when the bench is in use, I provide a link or connecting bar 7 which has its opposite ends pivoted to the angle or pivot plateset at opposite sides of the pivots of the respective plates so that the movement of one plate or pair of legs will be necessarily trans mitted to the other plate or pair oflegs, it being understood, of course, that theplates 4 and the link or connecting bar 7 are duplicated at both sides of the box.

may be manipulated. On one side of the box above t-headjacent plate 4 a latch 9 is It will be noted that one end of the link or connecting.

pivoted, the said latch having its lower end adapted to, engage over the edge ofthe link when the bench is not in use as shown in Fig. 1, or to engage over the edge of the adjacent plated when the bench is in use no I braces 13 and 14 respectively having their ends projected beyond the meeting or hinged edges of the leaves whereby when the leaves are extended for use, as shown in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the ends of said bars or braces will tend to prevent premature collapse of the bench. It will be ob served that the leaf 11 is considerably larger than the leaf 10 and the free edge or end of the said leaf is adapted to rest upon posts or pillars 15 arranged within the box at the corners of the same so as to furnish a firm supportwhen the device is in use. I also provide within the box a movable support 16 preferably consisting of a partition or plate connected to the bottom of the box by hinges 17 so that it may be moved to a vertical position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, with one edge resting squarely upon the bottom of the box, or moved toward the end of the box as shown in full lines in Fig. 3, to permit the dropping of the bench within the box. This movable support or partition is held against the leaf 11 by a spring 18 having one end secured to the bottom of the box and its opposite end secured to the partition, as clearly shown, whereby as the leaf is raised the said partition or support will be automatically drawn int-o its upright operative position. It will also be noted that the ends of the braces or bars 14 extend beyond the partition or movable support so that when the bench is being folded into the box the said bars will swing against the movable support and thereby initially swing the same against the tension of the spring 18 after which the continued downward movement of the leaf 11 will move the support to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3.

Upon the upper face of the smaller leaf 10 I secure the clamping jaws or plates 19 which are secured to a spacing block 20 on the leaf 10 which block is bolted to the said leaf by a bolt 21 having lock nuts 22 mounted thereon beneath the leaf. The upper ends of the aws are normally separated by a spring 23 coiled around a pin or bolt 24 inserted through the aws and fitted rigidly in one of them. A lever 25 is pivoted to the opposite end of this pin or bolt and is provided with an eccentric or cam face 26 about its pivot adapted to bear against the wear plate '27 on the side of the adjacent jaw whereby when the lever is swung upwardly the pressure of the same against the jaw will be removed and the spring 23 may separate the jaws while if the lever be swung downwardly the jaws will be moved to gether against the tension of the spring so as to firmly clamp the work. These jaws will be found very advantageous and efiicient for holding horse collars or other portions of harness which are to be sewed and may be utilized in various other operations. It will be understood that the aws are secured to the spacing block 20 with sufiicient rigidity to prevent their accidental or premature detachment but will have a slight play on the securing devices under the influence of the spring 23.

If it be desired to sharpen a saw, the clamping plates 28 are brought into use, the said plates having straight upper edges 29 and being provided on their outer faces near their lower edges with loops 30 adapted to engage over the upper ends of the jaws 19 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. In the inner faces of the side walls of the box I form vertical grooves 31 which are adapted to receive the partition 32 having a plate 33 se cured rigidly to its lower end, said plate fitting between the side walls and extending from the partition to the adjacent end wall of the box. When this partition and plate 33 are in position, as shown in Fig. 3, they set ofl or define a compartment within the box or casing 1 which may be utilized as a tool chest and to prevent the said plate 33 approaching the spring 18 so closely as to produce wear thereon I provide cleats 34 on the under side of the said plate which are adapted to bear against the bottom of the box and thereby space the plate from the said bottom as will be readily understood. The cover 2 will preferably be provided with a handle 35 for convenience in carrying the device and the cover may be further equipped with a hasp 36 adapted to engage over a staple 37 which will receive any convenient form of lock so as to prevent unauthorized access to the interior of the box and the abstraction of tools therefrom.

It is thought the manner of using my device and its many advantages will be evident from the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and further detailed mention of the same is deemed unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A work bench comprising a housing, a leaf pivotally secured within the housing, a second leaf hinged to the first-mentioned leaf, braces on the leaves extending past the meeting edges thereof when in the operative position, and a movable support within the housing adapted to permit collapse of the said leaves or to maintain the same in an operative position.

2. A work bench comprising a housing,

a leaf pivotally secured therein, a second leaf hinged to the first-mentioned leaf, a movable support within the housing, and automatic means tending to hold the said support against the last-mentioned leaf to maintain the same in'its operative position.

3. A work bench comprising a housing, a foldable leaf pivotally secured within the housing, a support hinged within the housing, and means for yieldably holding said. Tupport in engagement with the foldable eaf.

4. A work bench comprising a housing, a leaf pivotally mounted therein, a second leaf hinged to the first-mentioned leaf, a swinging support hinged upon the bottom of the housing and having its upper edge in contact with the leaf, and a spring having its opposite ends secured to the said support and to the bottom of the housing respectively. i

5. A work bench comprising a housing having vertical grooves in the inner faces of its side walls, a foldable leaf pivoted to the said walls adjacent the said grooves, a'

movable support for the said leaf, a spring secured to the said support and the bottom of the housing, and a tool receptacle having a partition slidably engaging the said grooves and a bottom extending over the said spring.

6. A work bench comprising a housing, pairs of legs arranged below the housing and having extensions pivoted to the sides of the housing, and means for simultaneously swinging the legs about the pivotal centers of said extensions.

7. A work bench comprising a housing, pairs of legs arranged below the housing and having extensions pivoted to the sides of the housing, means for simultaneously swinging the legs about the pivotal centers of said extensions, and means on one side of the-housing to hold the legs in their adjusted position.

8. In a work bench, the combination of a housing, legs arranged beneath the same and having extensions pivoted to the sides of the housing, a link pivoted to and ex tending betweenthe said extensions, and a latch mounted on the side of the housing above the pivotal points of the extensions and adapted to engage over one of the said extensions or over the said link.

9. In a work bench, the combination with a housing, of legs arranged beneath the same, extension plates secured to said legs and pivoted to the sides of tne housing, a linkextending between and pivoted to the said extension plates, and a latch pivoted on the side of the housing and having its lower end adapted to engage over one of the said extension plates or over the said link.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

